Car Insurance in North Charleston, SC – 9 Discounts You Might be Forgetting

Are you a victim of overpriced car insurance? Trust us when we tell you there are many people just like you. Companies like Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with advertising and it is difficult to see through the deception and find the best price available.

How to Compare Car Insurance Quotes in North Charleston, SC

Finding cheaper car insurance prices can be relatively painless. Consumers just need to spend a few minutes on the computer to get quotes from different insurance companies. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

  • The first (and easiest) way to get quotes is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating multiple quote forms for each company you want a rate for. A single form gets rate comparisons instantly.
  • A more difficult way to get comparison quotes requires visiting the website for every company you want to comare and complete a new quote form. For instance, we’ll pretend you want rates from State Farm, Farmers and Liberty Mutual. To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in North Charleston, click here.
  • The least efficient way to compare rates is to spend time driving to local North Charleston insurance agencies. Buying insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the professional advice of a local North Charleston agent. You can, however, price shop your coverage online but buy from a local insurance agent. We’ll cover that shortly.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples quote information for each comparison quote. If each company quotes higher or lower deductibles it will be very difficult to determine the best price in North Charleston.

Discounts are available to cut your rates

Car insurance can cost a lot, but there are discounts available to help offset the cost. Certain discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before they will apply. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

  • Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
  • No Accidents – Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts when compared to frequent claim filers.
  • Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
  • Discount for Swiching Early – A few companies offer discounts for signing up before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
  • Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
  • Accident Forgiveness – A few companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home can save you money because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.

Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will bring down the cost of coverage.

For a list of providers with discount car insurance rates in South Carolina, click here to view.

Everyone needs different coverages

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions might help in determining whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.

  • Do I need rental car coverage?
  • How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in South Carolina?
  • Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
  • Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
  • Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.

Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?

Some consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! Professional agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is you can get lower rates and still choose a local agent. Buying from local businesses is important especially in North Charleston.

By using this short form, your insurance data is sent to agents in your area who will give you bids to get your business. There is no need to leave your house since price quotes are sent to your email.

Below are North Charleston auto insurance companies that are able to give price quote information.

State Farm Insurance – 5150 Ashley Phosphate Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418 – (843) 552-9777
Paul Ferguson Insurance – 9229 University Blvd # A, North Charleston, SC 29406 – (843) 797-7285
Ronald P Newman Insurance – 6650 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, SC 29406 – (843) 572-7272
Insurance Agency Inc – 5081 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, SC 29406 – (843) 747-6358
Allstate Insurance – 8410 Rivers Ave # J, North Charleston, SC 29406 – (843) 569-0537

Choosing a company should depend on more than just the premium amount. These are valid questions to ask:<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px" src="https://www.findnewcarinsurance.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-70.jpg" alt="North Charleston South Carolina car insurance quote” />

  • Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
  • Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
  • What insurance companies do they work with?
  • Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
  • Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
  • Do they assist clients in filing claims?
  • Is working in the agency their full-time job?

After receiving acceptable answers to all your questions and a low price estimate, you’ve probably found an provider that will properly insure your vehicles. Just keep in mind once you purchase a policy you can cancel your coverage for any reason so never assume you’re contractually obligated to any specific agency with no way to switch.

Car insurance coverages explained

Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are typical coverages found on most car insurance policies.

Liability coverages

Liability coverage protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability coverage protects against things such as court costs, funeral expenses and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford. South Carolina requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.

Medical costs insurance

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for immediate expenses like EMT expenses, nursing services, surgery, ambulance fees and X-ray expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover you and your occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision insurance

Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers things such as scraping a guard rail, hitting a mailbox, crashing into a ditch, driving through your garage door and rolling your car. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

UM/UIM Coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many South Carolina drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 25/50/25), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Auto insurance in South Carolina

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

This pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as hitting a bird, a broken windshield, vandalism, fire damage and hitting a deer. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Best coverage at the best price

The cheapest car insurance is available on the web as well as from independent agents in North Charleston, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, never buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, an accident victim reduced full coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

For more reading

Additional car insurance information is located on the website for the South Carolina Department of Insurance. Click here for link. South Carolina drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and learn about specific coverages.

Other useful links include this site for car insurance rates in South Carolina and this link where you can get more info about North Charleston car insurance.